Free Essay Sample - Becoming an Exceptional Leader

As a relatable person, I do not experience much difficulty in forming close ties with the people around me. I can easily interact with others and form relationships characterized by trust and open communication. It is a trait that enables other people to seek my opinion and advice in personal and official issues. The strength also implies that while I am comfortable sharing my ideas, I do not necessarily impose them on my friends or colleagues. As a result, I perform best in an environment that allows me to accomplish tasks.

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Based on my trait as a relator, there is a likelihood that as a leader, I will help create a conducive and supportive work environment in the workplace. I understand the essence of ensuring that workers feel like they are part of an organization. Having a sense of belonging contributes to the development of organizational commitment. As a relatable leader, I will allow all members of an entity to approach and consult me whenever faced with complex situations. Therefore, it is a trait that will enable me to share my knowledge with others.

Maximizer

I tend to push the people around me to set higher goals and strive toward achieving more. It is a practice that involves identifying opportunities that one can build upon to transform the outcome into something better. As a result of this ability, I often interact with people who need the inspiration to pursue specific targets. Thus, my contribution to their life or work includes helping them visualize excellence as well as align their actions towards success.

As a leader, the maximizer trait implies that I will play a role in encouraging individuals and teams in the workplace to improve productivity. My leadership could entail the use of inspirational material to assist others in modifying approaches used in handling various situations. Maximizing also enables me to enlighten others on the value of factors such as time and company resources and the need to utilize them effectively to boost production. Besides, it gives me a chance to mentor employees and steers them toward attainment of set objectives.

Individualization

Individualization allows me to quickly study and identify how different members in an organization operate. It is a source of insight into the unique characteristics of each individual. A competent leader needs to understand the strengths, weaknesses, and interests of each worker. More importantly, a leader should figure out how each person's behavior or input impacts overall group or organizational performance. Therefore, operating on my understanding of individual differences, I can tell areas where others can perform competently.

While serving in a leadership position, the trait implies that I will not have challenges understanding factors that affect individual productivity. For instance, it will be relatively easy to figure out motivational factors such as hopes and fears of members in the organization. My leadership will also encourage people to express their ideas and suggestions without judgment. Also, it will motivate them to take up duties and responsibilities that match their abilities, interest, and strengths. It may also empower me to become a leader who helps individuals to navigate through different issues.

Input

Over time, I have developed the practice of relying on information to back up my ideas or actions. It is a behavior characterized by a tendency to gather data from various sources and to apply it to everyday activities. I attach significant value to taking time to research concepts and ideas to gain knowledge and a deep understanding of various dynamics. I believe that staying informed on both past and present issues is a necessary habit. It is also crucial to pay attention to emerging concerns that may directly or indirectly impact leadership.

The trait implies that my leadership may entail a work environment where the members have to thoroughly develop the concepts or suggestions that they propose for implementation. I may become a leader who encourages the people around me to stay updated on diverse issues that affect their work or the organization. As a result of this trait, there is a high possibility that I will easily relate with, befriend, or support people who express thought-provoking ideas. Similarly, I may develop a tendency of overlooking simplistic opinions.

Futuristic

As a futuristic person, I always think about what the future will look like and ideas that will reign as seasons change. It is a trait that captures the need to predict changes in various sectors or aspects of life. Based on the expected variations, I think about the need to come up with concepts that will position an organization to thrive in the future. Due to continually obsessing about the future, I usually share with others about my concerns and vision of what is achievable in the coming periods.

As a result of this strength, my leadership may entail regularly challenging the people around me to think ahead. I may facilitate the creation of an environment that is inspirational and supports innovative, future-oriented tools. Given that I am intrigued by the vast imagined possibilities that the future presents, I may obsess about the need to adopt innovative practices and tools that will enable a business to remain relevant in the coming months or years. Thus, I may become a leader who pushes others towards creative thought processes.

Evaluation of Leadership

Trait Theory of Leadership

The trait theory of leadership operates on the premise that specific traits lead to the development of individual behavior patterns. These patterns are often consistent despite a change in scenarios. The framework posits that people are born with leadership traits that distinguish them from other individuals (Colbert, Judge, Choi, & Wang, 2012). According to the theory, some of the characteristics that differentiate great leaders include the ability to make wise decisions, show confidence, display emotional stability, honesty, and integrity. Thus, to become an effective leader, I need to possess and practice these leadership traits.

Strengths

I have identified individualization as a strength that relates to the leadership trait of understanding one's followers. An effective leader ought to have the ability to learn about the unique needs and capabilities of different employees (Colbert et al., 2012). As a leader, the capacity to intuitively understand the interests and feelings of my staff will allow me to address their concerns appropriately. More importantly, it is a trait that enables me to view issues from the perspective of other people. Thus, I can maintain touch with the reality of the workplace environment.

I have identified futuristic as a strength that relates to the trait theory proposition that leaders need to exhibit creativity. One of the responsibilities of a leader is to develop creative ways of conducting business and satisfying client needs. A leader should also stir creativity among the employees (Colbert et al., 2012). As a future-oriented leader, I rely on my creativity to come up with innovative ideas and concepts that will give my organization a competitive edge over its rivals. Therefore, it is a crucial trait that enables me to prepare for changes in the business world.

I have identified input as a strength that is necessary for a leader to make informed decisions and choices when running an entity. Decisiveness is a critical skill that sets apart leaders from other individuals. When running a firm, it is essential to make well-informed and timely decisions that will guarantee success (Colbert et al., 2012). For a leader in making wise choices, one has to rely on valid data. Hence, by taking time to research and examine various sources of information, I can identify the most suitable options to implement.

Weaknesses

I have identified aspects of being a relator that limits my effectiveness in stimulating action-oriented changes among members of my organization. While advising and guiding employees on various issues, leaders need to motivate them towards taking action (Colbert et al., 2012). Workers need to implement the suggestions received from the leader. However, my habit of not imposing my opinions on another person is a weakness that limits me from following up on progress made. It implies that I have to wait for a follower to ask me to monitor how they implement the ideas I have shared.

An element of individualization that is a weakness is the practice of assigning specific duties to workers based on their strengths, interests, and abilities. Individuals who are open to learning new things and accepting challenges contribute to increased productivity. Eagerness to take on new responsibilities also distinguishes them from others (Colbert et al., 2012). However, when one only performs tasks in a particular area, it limits their input in the organization. While it is vital to understand the unique differences that each individual has and assign duties accordingly, it limits employees' ability to learn or acquire new skillsets.

While I value input, it leads to a weakness that arises due to the habit of gravitating toward people who have thought-provoking ideas. I get attracted and carried away in conversations where members discuss informative concepts. As a leader, I need to display people skills and interact with all employees and teams in the organization (Colbert et al., 2012). It is inappropriate for leaders to associate more closely with some members while paying little attention to others. Hence, it is a weakness that could make others feel ignored or overlooked by the management.

Recommendations

An action that I can take to become a more effective leader is learning how to study the traits of my staff members quickly. I need to be able to learn about them and how to genuinely care about their needs. People are an essential resource that ensures that an organization achieves its goals. Therefore, leaders must understand the issues and expectations of their followers (Nawaz & Khan, 2016). Attaining this competence will enable me to create an environment that is fair and mindful of employees' welfare.

Becoming an exceptional leader will require me to continuously remain updated about changing or upcoming trends that will impact individual and organizational performance. Leaders have to stay informed on current matters to ensure efficient decision-making as one carries out administrative duties (McCleskey, 2014). Information is a necessary tool that contributes to informed and well-timed decisiveness. I will have to regularly conduct research and participate in educative forums to stay ahead of trends in the market. Thus, the process will involve using materials such as business publications to stay informed.

Creativity is also one of the traits that distinguish leaders. To become more productive, I need to identify avenues that will stimulate my thought processes. I need to trigger myself to devise creative ideas that will enable the organization to compete with other entities. Leaders have a responsibility to foster creativity among the employees and generate innovative concepts (Neck& Houghton, 2006). Therefore, I can take advantage of technology, such as the internet to explore and evaluate diverse ideas that apply to the business.

Goals

A specific goal that I would like to achieve is to improve communication with all members of the organization. As a leader, I must facilitate clear and precise relaying of information. I will measure progress made by determining a decrease in the number of questions and time spent on them during briefing sessions. The goal is attainable since I can develop better presentation skills.